Once matured, Dendritic cells (DC) are capable of initiating and propagating an antigen-specific adaptive immune response. DC based immunotherapy is a promising treatment alternative for various solid tumor and hematological malignancies, an adaptive DC based response is also a goal for effective vaccines. Identifying novel, immunostimulatory drug candidates that can stimulate DC maturation is essential for development of such immunotherapies. In this webinar, Dr. Erin Harberts, from Prof. Robert Ernst’s group at the University of Maryland, Baltimore will present her work on rationally designed toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) ligands for vaccine adjuvant discovery.
The presentation will focus on the following topics:
- Design and development of TLR adjuvants using bacteria enzymatic combinatorial chemistry method (BECC)
- Validation of lead adjuvant compounds using in vitro assays including mouse splenocytes, human primary mononuclear cells, and primary monocyte derived DC maturation assays
- Variability of donor specific primary cell responses to the immunostimulatory adjuvants
- Q&A